Concrete form



July 12, 1966 G. s. BECKHAM CONCRETE FORM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov.

IVENTOR, GEORGE 5. BEcKHA/v:

BY I 3 i W ATTORN EYS 12, 1966 s. so BECKHAM' I 3,260,493

CONCRETE FOR! :5 Sheets-Shit 2 Filed Nov. '7, 1963 ss/X I I I I '0 j 62! INVENTOR. v GEORGE S. BECKHAM QTTORNIYI G. S. BECKHAM CONCRETE FORM July 12, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 7, 1963 INVENTOR. GEORGE S4 BECKHAM BY 3% a m ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,260,493 CONCRETE FORM George S. Beckham, 1451 Glendale Road, Jacksonville, Fla. Fiied Nov. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 322,165 10 Claims. (Cl. 249-48) This invention relates to a concrete form and more particularly concerns forms for molding columns.

A general object of this invention is to provide an improved form for fabricating concrete columns.

A further general object is to provide an improved form for molding rectangular columns, and in particular square columns.

A particular object is the provision of an improved concrete form readily erectable without special tools or skilled workmen and easily disassembled for reuse.

A further particular object is to provide four modular and interchangeable panel sections for speedy erection into a square concrete column form.

Another particular object is the provision of four modular panel sections capable of being efiiciently stored and transported which are erectable into a sturdy square and vertical column form.

A further specific object is to provide a concrete form including four self-contained panels wherein the components for interconnecting the panels are constructed as parts of the panels for reducing the number of parts and the complexity thereof.

A still further specific object is to produce a column form which is strong, yet light and portable, and inexpensive in construction.

Many concrete column forms have been fabricated on the building site by workmen erecting special wooden forms which may only be used once. Such molds are then disassembled after use, and a portion of the wood may again be used in constructing other special molds. The material and labor costs of constructing such expendable and destructible molds is becoming increasingly uneconomical. Other concrete column forms have been manufactured, including the complex adjustable metal forms and other elaborate permanent metal forms, such metal forms being costly to manufacture, unduly complex to assemble and use, and impractical to store, transport, and erect. Additional objects of the present invention are to provide improved concrete column forms which substantially alleviate and overcome the aforementioned inadequacies of the special wooden and metal forms.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularly in the appended claims. The invention itself however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the concrete skele ton form in accordance with the present invention, partly broken away and in section;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1, one panel being shown exploded from the other panels;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional View of the corner connection and locking means interconnecting two adjacent panels of the form of the inventions partly broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a reduced elevational view of the corner connection and locking means of FIGURE 3, partly broken away;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of the inwardly facing side of one panel portion of the form of the inven- 3,269,493 Patented July 12, 1966 tion, an impervious wall member being shown in position forwardly thereof; and

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of the outwardly facing side of the one panel portion shown in FIGURE 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing of FIGURE 1, the improved concrete skeleton form of this invention is generally depicted at 10 and includes four elongated upright modular self-contained panels 11, 12, 13 and 14 identical to each other and connected to form a hollow casing 15 adapted to receive therein four impervious wall members 16, 17, 18 and 19. The edge of wall member 17 adjacently abuts wall member 16, an edge of member 18 abuts member 17, and the other members have similarly abutting edges whereby the concrete poured therewithin is formed into a uniformly square column having right angled corners.

Each of the panels 11, 12, 13 and 14 is identical to permit complete interchangeability in the use thereof. Panel 12 will be specifically described by reference to FIGURES 5 and 6 and it is to be understood that panels 11, 13 and 14 will include correspondingly equivalent components. Panel 12 comprises a pair of elongated plates and 26 extending substantially between the upper end 27 and lower end 28 and panel 12. The inner edges 29 and 30 of respective plates 25 and 2 6 are inclinedly positioned inwardly of the respective outer edges 31 and 32 thereof. A plurality of spaced angle support members 33 are connected to and between plates 25 and 26 at the rear surfaces or faces 34 and 35 thereof by welding or the like. Each of the angle support members 33 is provided with a generally vertical web portion 36 positioned adjacent the inner plate edges 29 and 30 which are adapted to vertically position and support the impervious wall member 17 thereagainst, particularly while the concrete is poured within the form 10 and during compaction thereof, the compaction of the concrete usually being performed by an elongated mechanical vibrator.

Each of the angle support members 33 further includes a generally horizontal flange portion 37 extending outwardly from vertical portion 36 toward the outer panel edges 31 and 32, horizontal portion 37 having angled end portions 38 and 39. The end edges 40 and 41 of horizontal portion 37 are shown specifically in FIGURE 2 to be slanted from the horizontal portion outer edge 42 toward its inner edge 43 at an angle of forty-five degrees for optimum strength and rigidity of a square concrete column form of this invention. The angle support mem bers 33 spacedly position plates 25 and 26 with their inner edges 29 and 30 at a predetermined distance less than the distance between their outer edges 31 and 32.

The end edges 40 and 41 of horizontal portion 37 are connected to the respective rearward faces 34 and 35 of plates 25 and 26 by welding or the like. The forward plate faces 25 and 26 abut oppositely facing forward plate faces 44 and 45 of plates 46 and 47 of respective panels 13 and 11, as described more fully hereinbelow.

Panel 12 is further provided with means for releasably locking the abutting plates of adjacent panels, depicted generally at 60, and includes a male locking means at 62 and a female locking means at 63. The male locking means 62 comprises an elongated rod 64 extending and slideably mounted through openings (not shown) in horizontal extending portions, including portion 77 of support members 78 as shown in FIGURE 3. A plurality of latch members 66 extend through slotted openings 67 which are spaced in plate 25 of panel 12. The female locking means 63 includes a plurality of spaced elongated slots 68 extending through plate 26, slots 68 be ing equally spaced with slots 67 in plate 25 to permit respective slots of adjacent plates to register.

The specific components which combine to form the locking means in accord with this invention is more clearly understood by reference to FIGURES 3 and 4. A corner connection between panels 12 and 13 is specifically shown in FIGURE 3 and the other corner connections between the other panels are identical. The elongated plates 25 and 46 abut with their respective faces 25 and 46' being mated as shown. The latching projection 50 extends through slotted opening 51 in plate 25 and through the slotted opening 52 in plate 46, slotted openings 51 and 52 being in registry and in working alignment to permit projection 50 to be inserted through opening 52 in plate 46. Projection 50 is attached at its end portion 53 to rod 64 which is slidingly disposed through an opening (not shown) in a horizontal portion 77 of support member 78, and a collar which surrounds rod 64 is attached by welding to horizontal portion 77, collar 64 being shown at 65 in FIGURE 4. Latching projection 50 includes a generally horizontal part 54 which extends through opening 51, forwardly of the front face 25' and rearwardly of the rearward face 46" of plate 46 as designated generally at part 55 thereof. Latching projection 50 further includes a laterally extending part 56 connected to its horizontally extending part 55, laterally extending part 56 having a lateral dimension less than the length of slots 52 within plate 46 thereby permitting the ready insertion and removal thereof. Plate 46 includes a shoulder portion 57 adjacent slot 52, andattached to shoulder 57 is a pin or rod 58 which is engaged, when the rod 60 is in its locked position, by laterally extending part 56 of latching projection 50. As specifically shown in FIGURE 4 rod 58 is welded to the rear face 46" at the welded connection between the vertically extending portion 59 of support member 95 and plate 46.

When the rod 64 is in its downward position latching projection 50 assumes its unlat'ched position shown by dotted lines at 96 and the plate 46 may merely be removed from its abutting position with plate 25 by moving plate 46 in the direction of arrow 97. When the rod 64 is operative to lock the corner connection between panels 12 and 13, plate 46 is moved into its abutting position shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 and the rod is moved vertically to its position shown in full lines in FIGURE 4. As the rod 64 is moved vertically, latching projection 50 frictionally engages pin 58 and forces the plates 25 and 46 toward each other until such plates are in abutting relation. Adjacent the rearward face 46" of plate 46 is an opening 98 extending through horizontally extending portion 50 of support member 95 to permit the end 99 of lateral part 56 to extend therethrough while lateral part 56 is wedged against pin 58. It is to be understood that a shallow socket may be provided on locking projection 50 to more positively receive and maintain the pin 58 therein. However, such a construction has not been found necessary, particularly in view of the locking .pin device 83, hereinbelow described.

With the rod 64 in its operative upper position each of the latching projection members 66 extend through slotted openings, including opening 52, and frictionally engaged with the shoulders, including shoulder 57 and the pins attached thereto, including pin 58, for locking abutting plates 25 and 46 together. After the rod 64 is in its raised position and the plates 25 and 46 are locked, pin 83 is inserted through an opening (not shown) which engages collar 84 to releasably maintain the rod 64 in its locked position as shown in FIGURE 1, the inoperative unlocked position of rod 64 being shown in FIGURE 6.

Normally before the abutting plates of the four panels 11, 12, 13 and 14 completely locked together, the impervious wall members 16, 17, 18 and 19 are inserted and the four panels are then completely locked by further upward movement of the rods of the respective locking means of each panel. Wall members 16, 17, 18 and 19 as seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 overlap at their respective end portions when positioned within the concrete skeleton form 10, so that the concrete molded therein results in columns having right angled corners.

There is sufiicient tolerances between the size of the latching members or projections on one plate and the slotted openings in the abutting plate of another adjacent panel to permit the ready insertion of the locking projections therein and the speedy erection of the four panels. Spaced alignment pins 70, 71 and 72 are connected to plate 25 and extend outwardly therefrom. Alignment pin is adapted to register within an oppositely facing aperture 76 inplate 44. Such alignment apertures are also shown at 73, 74 and in plate 26 of panel 12 shown in FIGURE 5. Alignment pins 48 and 49 are also shown in FIGURE 2 to be connected to respective panels 11 and 14, pin 48 registering with opening 73 in plate 26 for insuring that plates 47 and 26 properlyabut before locking same.

Panel 12 is fabricated to provide a strong and sturdy skeleton rnold component which is self-contained with the necessary locking means for interconnecting the panels being attached thereto and being an integral portion thereof. It is to be noted that the male members, in cluding the latching projections and alignment pins 70, 71 and 72 all are connected to and extend outwardly from the forward plate face 25 while the female members, including slots 52 and alignment apertures 73, 74 and- 75 all extend through plate 26, thereby minimizing manufacturing and fabrication costs.

The horizontal portion of the angle support member 81 of panel '13 is provided with a slot 82 as shown in FIG- UR E 2 to permit the latching projection 61 to extend thereinto when such projection is in its operative position as shown in FIGURE 4. Such a construction is desirable to provide connections between adjacent panels at locations of the greatest strength, i.e., generally in alignment with the angle support members.

The bottom support member 85 is a U-shaped channel, whereas the support members 33 are L-shaped angles, in order that the panel 12 may be supported properly on the foundation 100. It has been found that support members 33 need only be L-shaped, however it is to be clearly understood that they may also be Ushaped channels similiar to channel 85, if desired or required for strength. The top support member 86 is also a U-shaped channel to enable a similar panel to be stacked thereon with the top support member 86 supportingly engaged with the bottom support member of such similar panel. Openings 88 and 89 are provided in horizontal portion 90 of top member 86, and fasteners (not shown) are positioned therethrough and through the aligned openings in the stacked panel bottom support member, similar to openings 91 and 92 in horizontal portion 93 of bottom member 85.

The skeleton form 10 also includes a pair of elongated adjustable posts 20 and 21 having lower end portions 22 and 23 pivotally connected to base plates 101 and 102 which are detachably secured to foundation by spikes 103 and 104. Posts 20 and 21 comprise sliding upper portions 105 and 106 in preselected positions, pin devices 107 and 108 being selectively positionable within a plurality of apertures 109 and :110 in end portions 22 and 23 and alinged apertures (not shown) in the telescoped upper end portions 105 and 106.

Posts 20 and 21 include socket connectors .111 and 112 Which are slidingly positioned onto rods 113 and 114 and are maintained thereon by stop members 115 and 116, rods 1 13 and 1 14 being rigidly connected to respective horizontal support portions 117 and 118 of respective panels 11 and 12. Adjustable posts 20 and 21 position and maintain skeleton form 10 vertically during the formation of the concrete column. A pair of adjacent posts have been found to be adequate to maintain the form erect and in plumb condition.

'Whfle only a certain preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described by Way of illustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and it is, therefore, desired that it be understood that it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new and What is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

-1. An elongated upright modular skeleton form panel comprising a pair of spaced vertically extending plates each having a front face and a rear face, support members spacedly connected to and extending between respective said rear faces of said plates, each said plate having an inner side edge and an outer side edge, each said support member having a generally vertical 'web portion adjacent said inner side plate edges adapted to vertically position and support impervious wall members thereagainst, each said support member having a generally horizontal flange portion extending outwardly toward said outer side plate edges, said horizontal flange portions of said support members having openings therethrough adjacent said rear face of said one plate, a male locking means positioned adjacent one said plate, a female locking means positioned adjacent the other said plate, said female locking means including a pair of spaced apertures extending through said other plate, said other plate having a shoulder portion adjacent each said spaced aperture for engagement by a male locking means of an adjacent panel, said male locking mens including a pair of spaced latch members extending forwardly of said front face of said one plate and adapted to extend through respective spaced apertures of another adjacent panel, said male locking means further including an elongated rod extending through said openings in said horizontal flange portions, said one plate having another pair of apertures through said one plate and spaced substantially equal to said pair of apertures of said other plate, said latch member being attached to said rod and extending through respective said other pair of apertures, said rod being slidable through said opening to operably move said latch members, said pair of spaced latch members being movably mounted with respect to said horizontal flange portion of respective spaced said support members and operable to cooperatively engage the shoulder portions of the another adjacent panel thereby connecting said panel and the another ad acent panel.

2. The panel as defined in claim .1 wherein each said latch members further comprises-a horizontal part connected to and extending from said rod and a wedge-shaped laterally extending part adapted to engage the shoulder portion adjacent each aperture of the other ad acent I anel.

P 3. An elongated upright modular self-contained panel for erecting a concrete skeleton molding form compr sing a pair of spaced vertically extending plates respect1vely having a front face and a rear face, each said plate further having an elongated inner side edge and an elongated outer side edge, angle support members spacedly connected to and extending between respective said rear faces of said plates, each said support member having a generally vertical web portion adjacent said inner side plate edges adapted to vertically position and support impervious wall members thereagainst, each said support member having a generally horizontal flange portion extending outwardly toward said outer side plate edges, said horizontal flange portion having slanted ends connected to respective said rear plate faces to position said outer plate edge-s at a predetermined distance greater than the distance between said inner plate edges, said horizontal flange portions having openings therethrough adjacent said rear face of one said plate, an elongated rod extending and slidably mounted through said openings, said one plate having a pair of spaced elongated slots extending therethrough, a pair of latch members spacedly attached along said rod adjacent corresponding said slots, each said latch members having a generally horizontal part extending forwardly of said front face of said one plate, the other of said plates having spaced elongated slots and a shoulder portion adjacent each said spaced slot therein adapted for engagement by respective latch members of an adjacent panel, each said spaced slots of said one plate being in substantial alignment with respective said slot of said other plate, each said latch members including a laterally extending part connected to its said horizontal part, each said laterally extending part having a length dimension less than the length of each said slot of said other plate.

4. A concrete form for molding a column comprising a plurality of elongated modular self-contained panels each connected to the next and forming a skeleton casing of a predetermined cross-section, a plurality of elongated fiat impervious wall members Within said casing substantially parallel to and contiguous with respective said panels for the reception of concrete therebetween, each said panel having a pair of elongated plates extending substantially between its ends, support members spacedly connected to and extending between said plates of each said panel, each said plate of respective said panel abutting an oppositely facing said plate of a respective adjacent said panel, means for releasably locking said abutting plates of said adjacent panels, said means including a pair of spaced latch members connected to one said panel adjacent one of its said abutting plates and extending through respective spaced openings in said one abutting plate, each said latch member including a horizontally extending portion and a laterally extending portion, the other said abutting plate having a pair of slots extending therethrough and spaced in substantial alignment with respective said latch members and openings in said one abutting plate, said other abutting plate having a shoulder adjacent respective said slots, each said slot being adapted and arranged for the reception thereinto of a respective said horizontally extending portion of said latch member, said latch members and said slots being in cooperative alignment whereby said latch members are operable to dispose a respective said laterally extending portion of said latch member in locki-ng engagement within respective said slot against said shoulder.

5. The concrete form as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for releasably locking further comprises an elongated mo-vable rod, said latch members horizontally extending portions being connected to said rod and movable therewith to operably dispose each said latch member laterally extending portion in locking engagement with a respective said shoulder.

6. A concrete skeleton form for molding a column comprising a plurality of elongated upright modular panels each connected to the next and forming a skeleton casing adapted to receive therein impervious vertical wall members, each said panel including a pair of spaced elongated plates extending substantially between the ends thereof, each said plate having an inner edge and an outer edge, angle support members spacedly connected to and ex tending between said plates of each said panels, each said angle support member having a generally vertical portion positioned adjacent each said inner edge adapted to vertically position and support the impervious wall members whereby concrete may be poured therebetween, each said angle support member having a generally horizontal portion extending outwardly toward each said outer edge, a rod slidably disposed through each said horizontal portion adjacent one said plate, a plurality of latch projections spacedly connected to said rod, said one plate having a plurality of spaced opening through which respective said latch projections extend, the other of said plates having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, said latch projections and said openings in said other plate being substantially equally spaced on said panel whereby said latch projections are adapted and arranged to be cooperatively disposed in locking engagement within openings in one adjacent said panel and said openings in said other plate are adapted and arranged to b cooperatively disposed in locking engagement by latch projections attached to another adjacent said panel.

7. A concrete skeleton form for molding a rectangular column comprising four elongated upright modular selfcontained panels each connected to the next and forming a skeleton casing adapted to receive therein impervious wall members, each said panel including a pair of spaced elongated plates extending substantially between the ends thereof, each said plate having an inner edge and an outer edge, angle support members spacedly connected to and extending between said plates of each said panel for positioning said inner edges of said plates at a predetermined distance less than the distance between said outer edges of said plates, each said angle support member having a generally vertical web portion positioned adjacent each said inner edge adapted to vertically position and support the impervious wall members whereby concrete may be poured therebetween, each said angle support member having a generally horizontal flange portion extending outwardly toward each said outer edge, each said plate of respective said panel abutting an oppositely facing said plate of a respective adjacent said panel thereby forming a joint therebetween, a pair of spaced latch members connected to one said panel adjacent one of its said abutting plates, said one abutting plate having a pair of spaced openings through which extend a respective said latch member, the other said abutting plate of said adjacent panel having a pair of spaced openings and a respective shoulder adjacent thereto, said latch members and said openings in said one and other said abutting plates being substantially equally spaced on each said panels whereby said latch members on said one panel are adapted and arranged to be cooperatively disposed within said openings of said other adjacent panel in looking engagement with a respective shoulder of said other adjacent panel.

8. The concrete skeleton form as defined in claim 7 further comprising a pair of spaced alignment pins attached to said one abutting plate and extending outwardly therefrom, said other abutting plate having a pair of spaced apertures, said pins being fittingly engaged and registered in respective said apertures when said plates form said joint.

9. The concrete skeleton form as defined in claim 7 further comprising a rod slidingly mounted through said horizontal flange portions of said one panel, each said latch member being connected thereto, said other abutting plate having a rearward face and a mating face engaging the mating face of said one abutting plate, said latch members having a horizontally extending part disposed within respective said openings in said other abutting plate and protruding rearwardly of said rearward face, each said latch member having a laterally extending part connected to said horizontal part, said latch member lateral part lockingly engaged against a respective said shoulder upon selective movement of said rod.

10. A concrete skeleton form for molding a column comprising a plurality of elongated upright modular panels each connected to the next and forming a skeleton casing of a predetermined cross-section adapted to receive therein a plurality of elongated flat impervious wall members within said casing whereby concrete may be poured therebetween, each said panel having a pair of elongated plates extending substantially between its ends, each said plate having a mating face and a rearward face, each said plate further having an inner edge and an outer edge, elongated angle support members respectively including a generally elongated ventical web portion having ends connected adjacent respective said inner edges of said plates, said angle support members respectively including a generally elongated horizontal flange portion having its'side' edge connected to the side edge of said vertical portion, said elongated horizontal portion having ends slanted outwardly from said connected side edge, said slanted ends being connected to respective said rearward face of each said plate, each said mating face of each said plate of respective said panel abutting an oppositely facing mating face of each said plate of a respective adjacent said panel to form mitered joints, means for releasably locking said abutting plates of said adjacent panels, said means including a rod slidingly mounted through each said horizontal portion of respective said support members of one said adjacent panels, a plurality of spaced latch members connected to said rod adjacent one said abutting plate of said one adjacent panel, the other said abutting plate of another said adjacent panel having a plurality of spaced slots and a shoulder adjacent thereto, each said latch member including a horizontal .part and a lateral part, said one abutting plate of said one adjacent panel having a plurality of spaced openings aligned with respective said plurality of spaced slots, each said horizontal part extending through respective said opening and protruding through an aligned said slot, each of said latch members being spacedly disposed substantially in cooperative alignment with respective said openings and said slots whereby each said horizontal latch part extends through respective said opening and slot, said lateral latch part lockingly engaging a respective said shoulder when said rod is selectively moved into locking position thereby locking said mitered joints.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 540,851 6/ 1895 Burrage 25-131 830,259 10/ 1905 Winslow 25-124 1,245,477 11/ 1917 Loxterman 25-13 1 1,316,462 9/1919 Penote 25-130 1,440,366 1/ 1923 Baldwin 25-1 1,549,607 8/1925 Pulis 25-131 1,632,141 6/ 1927 McFarland 25-131 2,702,422 2/1955 Symons 25-131 2,725,210 11/ 1955 Swartz. 3,137,909 6/1964 Bonin et al. 25-131 FOREIGN PATENTS 593,034 10/ 1947 Great Britain. 587,269 1/ 1959 Italy.

I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT F. WHITE, WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON,

Examiners. G. A. KAP, Assistan Examiner. 

1. AN ELONGATED UPRIGHT MODULAR SKELETON FORM PANEL COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED VERTICALLY EXTENDING PLATES EACH HAVING A FRONT FACE AND A REAR FACE, SUPPORT MEMBERS SPACEDLY CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDING BETWEEN RESPECTIVE SAID REAR FACES OF SAID PLATES, EACH SAID PLATE HAVING AN INNER SIDE EDGE AND AN OUTER SIDE EDGE, EACH SAID SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A GENERALLY VERTICAL WEB PORTION ADJACENT SAID INNER SIDE PLATE EDGES ADAPTED TO VERTICALLY POSITION AND SUPPORT IMPERVIOUS WALL MEMBERS THEREAGAINST, EACH SAID SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A GENERALLY HORIZONAL FLANGE PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY TOWARD SAID OUTER SIDE PLATE EDGES, SAID HORIZONTAL FLANGE PORTIONS OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS HAVING OPENINGS THERETHROUGH ADJACENT SAID REAR FACE OF SAID ONE PLATE, A MALE LOCKING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT ONE SAID PLATE, A FEMALE LOCKING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT THE OTHER SAID PLATE, SAID FEMALE LOCKING MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED APERTURES EXTENDING THROUHG SAID OTHER PLATE, SAID OTHER PLATE HAVING A SHOULDER PORTION ADJACENT EACH SAID SPACED APERTURE FOR ENGAGEMENT BY A MALE LOCKING MEANS OF AN ADJACENT PANEL, SAID MALE LOCKING MENS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED LATCH MEMBERS EXTENDING FORWARDLY OF SAID FRONT FACE OF SAID ONE PLATE AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH RESPECTIVE SPACED APERTURES OF ANOTHER ADJACENT PANEL, SAID MALE LOCKING MEANS FURTHER INCLUDING AN ELONGATED ROD EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENINGS IN SAID HORIZONTAL FLANGE PORTIONS, SAID ONE PLATE 